Croft grants face scythe

TWO grant schemes that help the agriculture industry in Shetland are set to be slashed as part of ongoing council cuts.

The isles’ economic development committee will next week hear proposals to save £60,000 a year from the Shetland Agricultural Business Scheme (SABS) and the Shetland Rural Development Scheme (SRDS).

SABS has an annual budget of £100,000 for grants to help pay for fertilisers, herd improvements and growing arable crops.

SRDS has £60,000 a year to support capital projects such as fencing and ditching.

Project manager Jon Dunn has proposed axing grants for fertilisers or lime and reducing both schemes by 40 and 33 per respectively.

In his report, Dunn says that while savings have to be made the department wants to avoid “completely compromising the economic development objectives of both schemes”.